Entertainment

'Dark Night' is the most important graphic novel you'll read all year

There aren't a whole lot of true life stories in mainstream comics. We read plenty about superheroes and monsters, but rarely about ordinary people and their internal struggles.

That's what Paul Dini has given us withDark Night: A True Batman Story. Dini is best known for his work in animation, particularly on Batman: The Animated Series. He also created the popular character of Harley Quinn.

Many comic fans knew Dini's name, but few knew about the struggles he dealt with after he was mugged in 1993.

Dini's attackers beat him so severely that he needed surgery, and some of the bones in his face were even shattered.

The greater struggle, psychologically, was his recovery. That's what this book, out now from DC Comics imprint company Vertigo, is about.

Image: Vertigo comics

Treatment of mental health

Since the story is mainly about Dini's trauma from this awful mugging, the treatment of his mental state is extremely poignant.

His whirlwind of symptoms are related to PTSD, anxiety and depression. These issues are often stigmatized, so it is notable that Dini is bringing them front and center for a comics audience — voicing many of his problems through the most appropriate Batman character, the Joker.

Dini's desire to stay indoors, where it felt safe, manifested in his mind as Batman's arch foe. The Joker encourages him to give up and never leave his apartment again. Batman, however, urges Dini to go back to work and pushes him to heal.

Image: Vertigo Comics

Dini hopes this narrative will be helpful to others who suffer. When the Joker asks, "What makes you think that anyone else could possibly give two sh*ts for your little ordeal?" Dini responds, “I asked myself that for a long time and the answer I always came back to was, 'I care.'

"Granted, many people have dealt with worse trauma, but maybe if someone is able to find something to identify with in my story, then maybe it was worth telling."

Dini often used characters as an escape when he was a child, imagining that they were in class with him or playing in his room. (This is apparently common in creative people.)

But in this case, the fact that his mind was turning against him in the form of Batman villains makes the experience of trauma that much more accessible to the reader.

It is also important to note that self-harm is present and very visible in the novel. That may be as trigger for some.

Batman in 'Mask of the Phantasm,' the movie Dini was working on at the time of the mugging

Image: warner Brothers animation

A peek into Batman history

Although Dini stresses that this book does not serve as a deep dive into the history of Batman: The Animated Series, it still amounts to a cool peek behind the curtain.

Fans of older Warner Bros. Animation shows, like Tiny Toons Adventures and Batman: The Animated Series, will enjoy the quick glance at the writers' room where these shows were made.

We see the writers hashing out some plans for Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, an animated Batman movie. We also see Dini pitch a story in which Batman has to make a decision whether to slip peacefully into death, or pull himself out of limbo, face his pain and continue to live.

The parallels to Dini's own experience are clear. Producer Alan Burnett seems to see the connection. When he passes on the proposal, he says, "Look, I know why that story is important to you now. And it was good for you to pitch it."

The way Dini uses his trauma to inform his storytelling, and to face his problems head-on, is inspiring and informative — and it also shows the reader a bit of the pitch and feedback process.

Image: Vertigo comics

Why superheroes matter

The Dini character in the book tells his story to what appears to be a writers' room, using storyboards. Ultimately, we see that he's talking to a collection of Batman's worst villains, who have all manifested as his various trauma-related emotions.

Dini still has to face the repercussions of his trauma, more than 20 years after it happened. In his case, the effects did not go away.

But Batman and/or Harley Quinn – both embodiments of Dini's determination to live on – are ever present, making sure that he does not slip back into the habit of tuning the world out.

Image: Vertigo comics

So even though Dini blamed Batman for not being there to save him from his attackers that dark night, it turns out the Caped Crusader was actually there for him all along in the form of inspiration and ideals.

And that's why these superheroes matter. They aren't just entertainment or a distraction. They can give voice to something deep inside ourselves, something we may not realize is there, and save us when we need them most.

To hear Dini talk about this experience, check out this episode of Fatman on Batman with Kevin Smith and Marc Bernardin.

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